Varieties of plant containers, and other types of containers for holding planted flowers, herbs, vegetation, and the like, have long been available in the art. Some of these pots are more than just for use for planting purposes, but also incorporate means for providing the absorption of moisture into the potting soil, in order to sustain a continuous moisture watering and growth of the supported plant, throughout its vegetative life cycle. In addition, certain of said plant pots have been of the stackable type, where the pots can be stacked one upon the other, in a staggered fashion, and thereby still allow for the plants to grow within the pots at each level of implantation, and at the same time, allow for water to cascade down between the stacked pots, to assure that moisture is provided at each pot level, to sustain such continuous growth.
Various types of stackable pots have been available in the art. For example, the International patent application No. PCT/AU98/00432, discloses a plant pot, which, in use, is adapted to be stacked with one or more similar plant pots. The shape, appearance, and ornamentation of the plant pot shown therein, and its stackability feature, has been commercially marketed in the United States and throughout the world since 1996. It shows a plant pot which includes an upper rim made of lobe sections and bridge sections, a base portion, and a surrounding wall, extending between the upper rim and the base portion, shaped as so to define a plurality of radially extending lobe sections. The base portion includes a recess, formed in the underside of each lobe section. The upper edge and recesses are configured in such a way that when two or more plant pots are stacked, the rim and the recesses of a plant pot, and its subjacent pot, inter-engage and can be positioned together to hold the pots firmly in place. Thus, that shaped pot, as shown therein, has been available for many years in the art.
Other types of stackable plant pots, in addition to plant pots that furnish self watering features, have also long been available in the art. Such can be seen in the published application WO1998/056233, to Keats, which shows stackable plant pots. In addition, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,475, to Johnson, shows related structure. In addition, the United States published application to Klein, US2001/0052199, in addition to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,081, to Morrow, show related type of structures. Certain foreign applications likewise show similar type structures. Such can be seen in the German patent No. 2704414, to Albrecht. The French patent to Marque, No. 2715269, shows related structure. The British patent to Stone, No. 2369980, shows stackable plant pots. The German patent to Henke, No. 3618833, in addition to the European patent No. 0142471, to Gerber, shows similar structure.
Earlier United States patents shows variations upon plant pots, some which may be stackable, and others which may include self watering features. Such can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 129,451, to Baldwin, which shows an improvement in flower pots. This particular pot shows a false floor, in the configuration of a fan-shaped disc, with crown like projection, and which extends up into the potting soil, such that when water is introduced into its lower chamber, moisturization can take place to keep the potting soil moist.
The patent to Kneller, U.S. Pat. No. 2,055,844 shows another self watering flower vessel. It also includes a false floor or bottom, for separating the water area in the bottom, from the soil arranged upwardly in the pot.
The patent to Magid, U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,235, shows a flowerpot and jacket for the same. This also includes a pot, that sits upon a plate, where the water flows into the bottom of an outside container, and also uses a wick that extends upwardly into the soil to provide for wicking thereat.
The patent to Gallo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,290, shows a series of stackable flower pots.
The patent to Mills, U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,791, shows walls, screens, and the like, formed as stackable members, for use as multiple flower pots. This particular patent also shows father fluted like pots that can be stacked, staggered, one upon the other, so that its various flutes are exposed for the growth of vegetation thereat.
The patent to Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 243,031, shows a design for a stackable flower pot.
The patent to Pearce, U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,632, shows another plant watering pot, wherein a lower dish or pan holds a quantity of water, and a series of wicks provide for absorbing moisture up into the potting soil.
The patent to Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,351, shows another planter with tubular air hole members. This particular receptacle has a dividing wall between a lower compartment, which drains excess water, and the soil as provided thereabove. The various tubes shown therein are designed to evaporate excess water, through the tubes, and keep the soil moist.
The patent to Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,532, shows another style of planter.
The patent to Farkas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,056, shows various stacking planters. This device is formed of dual planting pots, stacked one upon the other, with a bottom tray.
The patent to Mason, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,378, shows an integradable, modular stackable multi-plant holder. Once again, this is a stackable type of three plant receiving receptacles on each level, and which receptacles can be stacked, one upon the other, as can noted.
The patent to Mason, Jr, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 306,985, shows a design for a plant container unit.
Another patent to Mason, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. Des. 309,878, is a further design upon the shown plant container. This particular design has the appearance of various flutes, and apparently allows for growth of vegetation upwardly out of said flutes, during usage.
The patent to Kang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,806, shows a flower pot and water supplying member for the flower pot. This device has a false bottom, with water collecting therebelow, and potting soil arranged thereabove, with a moisture absorbing material extending from the lower water reservoir up into the soil.
The plant container water water-keeping assembly of Lui, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,868, shows a plant pot with a false bottom, and a series of water or ventilating tubes, as can be noted.
The patent to Hulsebus, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 382,512, shows a design for another planter. It appears that it may include a false bottom, with perforations therethorugh, and a center well that apparently is for reception of soil.
The patent to Hsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,469, shows a support plate for flower pots that prevents overflow and inhibits mosquito propagation. This is apparently a support for flower pots, which does include wheels or rollers to provide for its motivation.
The patent to Klonel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,853, et al, shows a ball wheeled planter and method.
The patent to Buss, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,179, shows another self watering planter, where apparently soil extends down into the lower portion of the planter, as can be seen.
The patent to Bradley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,366, discloses a beverage container holder.
The patent to Powell, U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,073, et al, shows an intensive plant growing stacking container system. This device also shows a fluted plant pot, where apparently plants can be grown in the radially extending flutes, and the pots apparently can be stacked one upon the other, and also nested, as can be noted.
The design patent to Jensen, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 493,384, shows another stackable planter, with three planters being stacked one upon the other, and a tray provided underneath of the composite.
The patent to Bullock, U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,008, shows a vertical planting system.
The patent to Merayo, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 505,881, shows the design for a rolling plant and tree container.
The Australian patent No. 634522, to Grow-Max Systems, Inc., shows another arrangement for growing plants. This arrangement shows a series of stacked pots, one upon the other, for growing a multiplicity of plants, from at least three containers, and which allows for drain means between the various stacked containers to allow excess fluids to drain into the container located immediately therebelow.
Other patents show plant containers, of the individual type, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,081, to Morrow, which shows a plate above the bottom of the container for allowing excess water to pass therethrough, to avoid over saturation of the soil, and which is available for moisturization purposes.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,475, shows another self-irrigated planter.
These are examples of a variety of published applications, patents, and the like, throughout the world, that show related technology.